Gradeable fence.



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GRADEABLE FENCE.

APPLICATION FILED oc. I9. m5.

15,235,333., Patented July 31, 1917.

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T' .10. 3 #-22% L? I j @L-'IWI imm? gl lF112 2L L @ff-1 Tan sTaTns rTaNTmuon- LAURENCE S. LACHMAN, OFNEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSALELECTRIC WELDING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

GRADEABLE FENCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 31, 191'?.

To all 107mm t may concern:

Be it known that I, LAURENCE S. LACH- y MAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGradeable Fences, of which the following is a specification. n

This invention relates to metallic fence construction and particularlyto that type known as gradeable fence in which type the completed fenceis adapted to conform itself to the grade or slope of the ground uponwhich it is to be erected.

The object of the invention is to simplify and cheapen the manufactureof this type of fence and at the same time maintain its rigidity andstrength.

To these ends the invention consists in the improved constructionhereinafter more particularly described and then specified in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of a fencesection constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same section illustrating the same asapplied to a grade.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical cross-section through one of the pickets,being taken on the line 4-4 Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the spacing and pivoting member preferablyused.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 7 is a transverse crosssection taken on the line 7--7 Fig. 3 andshown further enlarged over the scale used in Fig. 4, the view showingthe parts prior to welding.

Fig. 8 is the same cross-section after the welding operation.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross-section through a slightly modified picket.

Fig. 10 is a plan view illustrating a modiication.

Fig. l1 is a cross-section of the same taken on the line 11-11 Fig. l0and Fig. l2 is a cross-section taken on the line 12-12 Fig. l0.

In the drawings l indicates metal pickets preferably of flat stock andrectangular in shape and arranged to intersect the rails at any desireddistance apart. The rails, of which there may be any desired number,consist of two parallel bars 2, 3, spaced apart for the reception of theintervening transverse members such as pickets l. The bars 2 and 3 arepreferably for reasons of strength made of channel-shaped material ormetal bars having longitudinal flanges Y along the edges and arearranged with their bases Vback to back as shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

The pickets l located in the space between the rail hars 2 and 3 arepivotally connected thereto by spacing members 4, which unite the bars 2and 3 and are integrally united therewith as will be presentlydescribed. The spacing members are preferably formed as .shown in Figs.5 and 6 and in section in Fig. 7 that is theyl consist of a round blockof metal having oppositely projecting central nibs or protuberances 5which project beyond the plane surfaces of the block. The nib 5 issurrounded by an annular flange 6 at the edge of the block whichconnects with the nib by an annular groove 7.

The spacing block 4 passes loosely through a suitably formed opening inthe picket and the nibs or projections engage the surfaces of the bars 2and 3 as indicated in Fig. 7 By placing the intersecting members betweenthe electrodes of an electric welding kmachine and current passed fromone electrode to the other and pressure applied the nibs 5 are welded atthe contacting points to the bars 2 and 3, the parts being forcedtogether until the surfaces of the bars engage the flanges 6 which serveto space the bars the proper distance, which is determined by thethickness of the spacing member. The attendant bur caused by theupsetting of the nib 5 during the welding operation is taken in thegroove 7 so that the bars 2 and 3 seat against the edges of the flangesof the block and at the same time a smooth bearing for the pivotedconnection of the picket l is maintained.

The disposition of the parts after welding is shown in Fig. 8. Theelectric welding process is now so well understood in the artsy that nofurther detailed description of the feature of welding the spacingmembers to the bars is deemed necessary herein.

The picket l is preferably of slightly less thickness than the block orspacing member 4 taken in the dimension from one flange to the other sothat freedom to the pivotal action of the picket relative to the rail ispivotal connection for the picket also serves i to properly space thebars of the Vrail apart so they will not bind against the picket andhold it rigid as well as forming the function of securing the barstogether and the picket thereto.

ln Fig. 9 the picket 1 is shown as pro- Vyided with. an enlargement 10around the pivotal point to strengthen the picket at this place ifdesired.

Referring to the moditlcation shown in Figs. l0, 11 and l2 the picket19, is formed of channel-shaped material, the spacing member et passingloosely through an opening in the base thereof. The picket is disposedin the space betweenV the bars Q, and 3 of the rail ywith the base ofthe channel section presented to the bar 3, while the bar 2, the spacingmember et in this case, as previously described, Vdetermining thedistance so that the picket will not be wedged or bound between thebars.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the describedmanner of securing the spacing member to the rail nor to `the details ofconstruction specified except as may be expressed in the appendedclaims.

What claim as my invention is:

l; A fence comprising a pair of spaced bars forming the rail, a spacingmember permanently united to and securing `the bars together and spacingthe same apart by engagement of its end with the inside of said bars,and a picket pivoted to said spacingy member. Y

2. A fence comprising a pair of spaced bars forming the rail, a circularblock intervening between said bars and spacing the same apart byengagement of its ends with the inside of said bars, the ends of saidblocks being likewise united'with the bars to secure them together, anda picket pivoted to said block.

3. A fence comprising a pair of spaced bars forming the rail, a picketlocated in and substantially filling the space between said bars and acombined spacing and pivoting member on which said picket is mounted,said spacing member being engaged by its ends with the inside of saidrails to hold the saine apart in fixed relation and being likewisepermanently united with said bars to secure the bars together.

t. A fence comprising a pair of spaced bars forming the rail, al spacingmember welded to both said bars and a picket'pivoted to said spacingmember and located in the space between said bars.

5. In a fence or like structure, the combination of a pair of bars, yaspacing member integrally united to said bars and having the upset metalof the union located in a cavity within the end of said spacing memberand an intervening transverse member pivoted on said spacing' memberbetween said bars.

Signed at N ew York in the county of N ew York and State of New Yorkthis 6th day of October A. D. 1915.

LAURENCE S. LACHMAN.

Witnesses:

F. B. TowNsnND, REMINGTON Soo'r'r.

@epics of this patent may' be attained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. f3.

